Opposition parties
joined Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, PJ Kurien on
Wednesday when he asked BSP chief Mayawati to take back her
resignation, saying he never meant to disrespect her when he
asked her to conclude speech after the prescribed three minutes.

"None of us are happy about her resignation. I have utmost
respect for her. It was just a misunderstanding. We regard her
as a senior leader. The House will ask her to reconsider her
decision," said Kurien asking BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra to
convey the feelings of the House to her.

Kurien was responding to Misra when he said the entire treasury
bench had been instructed to stand and shout when Mayawati stood
up to speak.

"They did not allow her to speak. She spoke for two minutes and
nine seconds in breaks, and would have even finished in three
minutes," Misra said.

While Mayawati could not be contacted, BSP sources told DNA that
she is still adamant and not responding. On Tuesday a BSP source
had said that Mayawati was keen to take on the BJP to build up
her party and may contest from Phulpur constituency that will
lie vacant after Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister in
Yogi Government resigns from it.

Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad joined Kurien and said,
"we should request her to reconsider her resignation".